Year in Review

Both 16, they sent a letter to the editor to the Press informing readers that they were starting a stuffed animal drive for the children in Iraq. The twins asked readers to send stuffed toys they wanted to donate to their home at 5 Buoy St. Three days after the letter was published, approximately 150 stuffed toys of every description filled their living room sofa and lined the floor. “Operation Share Bear” was off to an auspicious beginning.

In their letter, Erin and Danielle said, “We have a friend who is a soldier in Iraq who says that there are plenty of opportunities to hand out the stuffed animals that people send.”

Their friend, U. S. Army Captain Josh Bandy, completed his tour of duty in June and Operation Share Bear ended. However, the girls sent 1,500 stuffed animals to children in Iraq during those fivemonths. “We want to let the Iraqi people know that Americans sympathize with their situation and that we care about them,” said Danielle Brown.